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70
Many of the sanitary authorities keep registers of outworkers' premises. The following
table shows for 18 districts the number of such premises on the register, and in the majority of
cases the number of inspections and notices served—

It is evident from study of the reports relating to other districts that much the same
course is adopted as in the districts included in the above table, but the information contained
in these reports does not lend itself to tabular statement in the same way. Many of the reports
refer to neglect of employers to send in the lists which are required, and it is observed that
employers are frequently found to be under the impression that the lists are only to be sent when
application is made for them. Difficulties of this sort will probably disappear in course of time
as the requirements of the Act and Order become known. In particular cases (in Finsbury and
Camberwell) summonses were taken out for such neglect. Such action will, especially if made
generally known, provide the remedy which is needed. Some of the reports show the need for
inspection of outworkers' premises, insanitary conditions being found and remedied. In some
reports, moreover, reference is made to the prohibition by the sanitary authority of the giving
out of work to outworkers in whose premises cases of infectious disease have occurred—a matter
of considerable importance where tailoring and allied trades are carried on. In view of the
large number of outworkers in London employed in some of the prescribed trades, it is evident
that the effect of this order, if inspections follow, will be to ensure a higher standard of cleanliness
and sanitary condition in numerous premises. A sufficient staff of sanitary inspectors is the first
requirement for this purpose.
Notices to H.M. Inspector of Factories.
The medical officer of health is required to give notice to H.M. Inspector of Factories of
any workshop in which anv woman, young person, or child is employed, and also of any failure
to exhibit an abstract of the Act in such workshops. In addition to such notices are others which
are given of workshops in which proper temperature is not maintained, and of the action taken
upon communications which are received from H.M. Inspectors. The number of such notices is
shown for most of the London districts in the followino table—